1. Reading
Unit: 2 Lesson: 2
Module: B
Objectives:
Define and use close-reading vocabulary words. RL.4.4
Identify key ideas and details in a story. RL.4.2
Today we will be doing a
Close Reading
of chapters 3 and 4.
Essential Questions:
How do readers compare and contrast topics?
How does a writer use evidence to support ideas of compare and contrast in
an essay?

2. First Read Let’s explore the text! Think about what has happened in
the story so far, and discuss what you
think will happen next.

3. Independent Reading Routine
Focus: What is the “gist” of the text?
I will begin reading The Birchbark House while you follow along in your book. Then, you will continue reading to the end of chapter 4, silently on your own. Focus on what the text is mainly about.
Be prepared to discuss the following questions when you are done with the reading:
• What examples in the text support the idea that Omokayas loved Little Neewo?
• What descriptions of Mama’s and Deydey’s
makazins indicate they did different kinds of work?
• What questions do you have?

4. Second Read
When you reread The Birchbark House, focus on key details in these chapters of the story.
Be prepared to discuss the following questions when you are done
with the reading:
1. Reread page 61, where Deydey tells stories about his travels. What does momentous mean? What is Omakayas doing to the moose hide?
2. What happens when Omakayas watches her baby brother? How does Omakayas feel about this?
3. From context clues such as “Preparing hides–her most hated work!” and “stinking hides,” what do you infer about the meaning of condemned? What does the description of Deydey’s makazins tell you about him?
4. How does Angeline trick the birds? Why do you think that Omakayas decides to save the little bird rather than break its neck?
5. On p. 69, the author says that Omakayas had a “conflicted heart” when she took the gift from her father. What does “conflicted heart” mean?

5. Focused Reading Vocabulary Routine: Text-Based Vocabulary
indignation, p. 41
betrayal, p. 45
commanding, p. 51
conflicted, p. 69
Vocabulary Routine:
1. Read the sentence containing the word.
2. Identify context clues about its meaning within the passage.
3. Look up the word in a dictionary and read the definition.
4. Use the word in other ways.
*After we review these words, write your sentences on p. 124 in your Reader’s and Writer’s Journal.*

6. Text-Based Conversation
Focused Reading
Text-Based Conversation
When I read about Omakayas and her baby brother, I want to compare and contrast this situation with the way
that we treat babies today. This can help me better understand the time period and the culture.
Discuss Omakayas’s experiences with Neewo from pp. 42–45. Compare and contrast this with your own experience and knowledge of the way that people treat babies today.

7. Focused Reading Team Talk Routine
On p. 49, Omakayas decides that she will not tell anyone about her encounter with the bear.
Do you think that she should tell her parents about what happened? Explain why or why not.

8. Language Analysis Craft and Structure
Reread sections of the text to better understand the author’s particular choices and how these choices shape meaning. Reread key sections and focus on how the author uses language and structure to reveal meaning in the text.
Word relationships can help you understand the meaning in a story. Synonyms are words that have a similar meaning and antonyms have a different relationship; they are words with opposite meanings.

9. Language Analysis Cite Text Evidence
Reread pp. 34–35. See how the author uses synonyms and antonyms to reveal meaning.
What are some synonyms on these pages?
Choose one set of synonyms. What do you learn from these synonyms?
What are some antonyms on these pages?
Choose one set of antonyms. What do you learn from
these antonyms?

10. Writing in Response to Reading
Independent Reading
Language Analysis
Work independently to identify examples of antonyms on p. 52. Then write why you think the author uses more antonyms in this part of the story.
Writing in Response to Reading
Turn to page 125 in your Reader’s and Writer’s Journal and read the prompt: Write a paragraph explaining how life was different when Omakayas’s father came home.

11. Small Groups It’s time to get into our groups!
Please see me if you don’t know what group you belong in.

12. Writing Objectives: Opinion Writing Include text evidence.
Use capitalization correctly.

13. After I read pages pp. 58–59, I formed an opinion about whether
Writing
Opinion Writing
Details from the text are necessary to support the reasons you give for your text-based opinions. Quotation marks should be placed around details that you include to support reasons when you refer to the details word-for-word.
After I read pages pp. 58–59, I formed an opinion about whether
Omakayas did the right thing by taking the young crow that she discovered in Nokomis’s net and putting it in her carrying sack. I think Omakayas did the right thing because the bird was too trusting of humans to be left hurt and on its own. It “gazed up at her with such a calm, trusting curiosity.” This makes me think that it would trust any person and so on be taken for food even without being netted.
Look at the proper placement of quotation marks above. Including a quotation with supporting details from the text is strong text evidence to use to support reasons for your opinion.

14. Writing Analyze the Text
Let’s take a look at how a writer might express and support an opinion about why Omakayas decided to work so hard on cleaning the moose hide.

15. Conventions Focus: Use Correct Capitalization
Writing
Conventions Focus: Use Correct Capitalization
Proper nouns are nouns that name individual people, places, and things. The beginning of a sentence is capitalized. Also, proper nouns are capitalized.

16. one character in Chapters 3 and 4.
Writing
Independent Writing
Read the prompt on p. 129 of your Reader’s and Writer’s Journal. Write two paragraphs about the actions of
one character in Chapters 3 and 4.
Be sure to:
state your opinion about why the character acted the way he or she did.
identify the character and clearly state an opinion about the character’s actions and reasons for acting.
include direct quotations from the text.